Linehan leads PSU Womens Basketball past UMass Boston

Feb 11, 2006

BOSTON, Mass.

-- Practically playing in her back yard, junior Kaitlin
Linehan (South Boston, Mass./Savio Prep) recorded a
game-high 18 points and eight rebounds Saturday afternoon, leading
the Plymouth State University women's basketball team to a 78-71
victory over the University of Massachusetts Boston in a Little
East Conference game at UMB's Clark Athletic Center.

The Panthers stopped a two-game skid and upped their record to
10-12 overall and 5-7 in LEC play (fifth place), while the Beacons
fell to 9-14 overall and 3-9 in the Little East.

PSU took a 5-3 lead three minutes into the game and never trailed
again. The Panthers ripped off 13 straight points to take a 24-11
advantage midway through the first half, but UMB came back with a
15-4 burst later in the half to cut the deficit to 33-30 with 5:23
on the clock. PSU held UMB off for the remainder of the half,
leading by as many as eight points and settling for a 46-38 margin
at the break.

The Panthers slowly pulled away in the second half, taking their
largest lead of the game (70-54) with eight minutes left in the
game. Plymouth State held onto a 74-60 lead with 1:51
remaining before the Beacons made a late charge with an 11-2 run to
cut the margin to five points (76-71) with 25 seconds to play, but
the clock ran out on the Beacons' comeback.

Linehan finished 7-of-13 from the floor for her season-high 18
points. It matched her career best which she set against
Colby-Sawyer on Jan. 22, 2004. Senior Katie
Susat (Glastonbury, Conn.) added 15 points and six boards
in 17 minutes off the bench, her fourth double-figure-scoring
effort in the last six games, and junior Ashley
White (Merrimack, N.h.) chipped in with nine points, six
rebounds and five assists.

Sophomore LaKeisha D. Tucker (Pawtucket, R.I.) led the Beacons with
21 points, while sophomore Alicia Querusio (Somerville, Mass.) came
off the bench to net 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Junior
Lydia Coverdale (Malden, Mass.) also contributed with 11 points,
eight assists, six rebounds and five steals.

The teams now head into the final week of the regular season.
PSU hosts archrival Keene State on Tuesday at Foley Gymnasium (5:30
p.m.) and wraps up things up Saturday at home against Eastern
Connecticut (1:00 p.m.) The Beacons travel to Southern Maine
on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.) and conclude the regular season Saturday at
Rhode Island College (1:00 p.m.)